Job Centre Plus, Job Seekers Allowance, utter incompetence.
Discussion
Long story, needed a rant to vent but also thought it would provide useful info for others too.
Lost my job in December, waited about 2 weeks before I gave in to relatives telling me to sign on. I didn't think it was worth the hassle or that I was going to be eligible for anything (Usual thing late 20's male earned good money all my life never been eligible for anything so why now kinda thing). Managed to complete and application online and thought hell this is easy!
Got a request for an initial interview. Went to the Job Centre Plus (note the Plus, I guess that's because it's new and improved over the old Job Centre?) some real useless smelly lowlifes, quite a few immigrants and a few people in a similar situation to me. Had an appointment yet still had to wait 15 mins to be seen, had a brief chat with a woman who was clearly in training. Pretty much ended up going through the form I completed online and then signing it. Great what a f
king waste of 30 mins of my life that was.
I was then told to wait again to see another person, this guy then went through all the areas of work I could potentially look etc, what jobs I HAD to apply for to ensure I qualified for my JSA and how long it would be before my payments stopped, he seemed to be fairly up to speed with it all and I hoped that he'd filled me in on all the info I needed. Found out later this wasn't the case! He told to re-appear on the date on this stupid booklet to sign on whatever the fk that meant....
Anyway, I left that day and carried on my usual job hunting routine. Applied for a few, had an interview etc. Before I knew it I had to make the trip to the JC+ to "Sign On". This entails turning up and waiting around (a 3 seat sofa here for the 7-8 people that are permanently queued up. Again, had an appointment yet had to wait 10-25 mins each time. Ended up with some young lad about 2-3 years younger than me look at the booklet (which I hadn't been told to complete and I should have) and then look at the stack of jobs I'd applied for in the past couple of weeks. He signed the form and that was it, off I go for another fortnight. I then realised that I was supposed to have filled the little boxes in with what I had been doing each day!
Apparently you can have your JSA stopped for not filling in the boxes......
More jobs applied for and more interviews.
By this time I'd received a letter back stating that my claim would not be backdated from my claim date to the date that lost my job because "not knowing I was eligible" is not a good enough excuse. Also that I couldn't have JSA at all..... Great, more hassle, guess it's because I'm a late 20's male and actually worked all my life. No, it's purely because they and or the Inland Revenue have screwed up my NI records for the last few years and they don't think I've paid enough Class 1 NI contributions. Great again! I've been in part time work since I was 12-13 and full time since I left education with NO breaks at all! Thanks a bunch, how much tax have I paid to support the very bloody system I now need!
During this time I'd missed one of the sign on days because I had been for an interview. Now I phoned up the number on the booklet and explained prior to the day and they said there would be no problem and that they'd speak to my local office and get them to arrange another appointment. Anyway a few days pass and by the 4th working day I give up and go in. I need to talk to them about appealing the no payment of JSA anyway.
Get there to be told that there was no-one available as they were on lunch (this was 13:00 so fair enough) I asked if I could make an appointment but she said that they didn't have any system like that..... Great again. The woman was very short and abrupt with me as I'd missed my previous appointment and seemed to think that should know that I was supposed to have turned up as soon as I could after the date. She was arrogant and spoke to me like the rest of the lowlifes in there. She said the relevant people would be back at 2pm, and that I should come back then (I argued that there would probably a big queue by that point but she assured me there wouldn't) so I come back at 13:50 managed to get in the queue first and low and behold 3 others turn up before 14:00! After seeing the relevant person, who ended up being the same young lad I saw before, he just signed the form and looked at my interview paperwork and sent me on my way as he was in a hurry. After this I Spoke to the woman at the entrance again regarding my appeal form and she took me to the rack of forms in the corner grabbed the relevant booklet shoved it in my had and walked off. Seemed odd that I had a booklet when I wanted a form and after reading through it a couple of times I notice the form had already been torn out the back. Nice, thanks luv....
Anyway, filled this in and sent it off.
2 weeks later I'd found a job, had to visit JC+ once more after accepting the offer. The woman I spoke to this time was quite helpful, explained that I could have been claiming mileage for all the interviews I'd been to at 25p per mile! Great...... Also that my partner could have been claiming some sort of tax credit. None of which I had been told about previously.
So, fast forward to yesterday. Had a letter telling me that my JSA had been stopped as of the 11th as I hadn't been in to sign on on the 17th (the last day I was there was the 10th and I started the new job on the 16th......)
Today I receive another letter telling me that I might have to pay tax on the JSA I had received. Brilliant, thanks for that.....
So 2 months without work. Not a penny from the Government in assistance. Cost me about £10 in parking, £20 in phone calls and about 10 hours of my life just to be fked around. Luckily I've managed to survive the 2 months over Christmas, New Year and my 30th birthday living on overdrafts and Credit..... 
Today I phoned up to find out how my appeal was going (not heard anything in over a month) only to be told it can take up to 6 months to process. 6 fking months!!!!! They are useless, a complete and utter shower of st. I pity any poor bd that is made redundant in the coming few months as unemployment is still massively on the rise. This lot couldn't even find themselves a new job and they couldn't give a fk whether you are really down on your luck and have recently lost your job due or just one of the usual scum of society who can't be bothered to get a job.
On top of all that, the JC+ jobs database is the worst system I have ever used. You'll have better luck finding a job at a Temp Agency.
Lost my job in December, waited about 2 weeks before I gave in to relatives telling me to sign on. I didn't think it was worth the hassle or that I was going to be eligible for anything (Usual thing late 20's male earned good money all my life never been eligible for anything so why now kinda thing). Managed to complete and application online and thought hell this is easy!
Got a request for an initial interview. Went to the Job Centre Plus (note the Plus, I guess that's because it's new and improved over the old Job Centre?) some real useless smelly lowlifes, quite a few immigrants and a few people in a similar situation to me. Had an appointment yet still had to wait 15 mins to be seen, had a brief chat with a woman who was clearly in training. Pretty much ended up going through the form I completed online and then signing it. Great what a f
king waste of 30 mins of my life that was. I was then told to wait again to see another person, this guy then went through all the areas of work I could potentially look etc, what jobs I HAD to apply for to ensure I qualified for my JSA and how long it would be before my payments stopped, he seemed to be fairly up to speed with it all and I hoped that he'd filled me in on all the info I needed. Found out later this wasn't the case! He told to re-appear on the date on this stupid booklet to sign on whatever the f
k that meant....Anyway, I left that day and carried on my usual job hunting routine. Applied for a few, had an interview etc. Before I knew it I had to make the trip to the JC+ to "Sign On". This entails turning up and waiting around (a 3 seat sofa here for the 7-8 people that are permanently queued up. Again, had an appointment yet had to wait 10-25 mins each time. Ended up with some young lad about 2-3 years younger than me look at the booklet (which I hadn't been told to complete and I should have) and then look at the stack of jobs I'd applied for in the past couple of weeks. He signed the form and that was it, off I go for another fortnight. I then realised that I was supposed to have filled the little boxes in with what I had been doing each day!
Apparently you can have your JSA stopped for not filling in the boxes......More jobs applied for and more interviews.
By this time I'd received a letter back stating that my claim would not be backdated from my claim date to the date that lost my job because "not knowing I was eligible" is not a good enough excuse. Also that I couldn't have JSA at all..... Great, more hassle, guess it's because I'm a late 20's male and actually worked all my life. No, it's purely because they and or the Inland Revenue have screwed up my NI records for the last few years and they don't think I've paid enough Class 1 NI contributions. Great again! I've been in part time work since I was 12-13 and full time since I left education with NO breaks at all! Thanks a bunch, how much tax have I paid to support the very bloody system I now need!
During this time I'd missed one of the sign on days because I had been for an interview. Now I phoned up the number on the booklet and explained prior to the day and they said there would be no problem and that they'd speak to my local office and get them to arrange another appointment. Anyway a few days pass and by the 4th working day I give up and go in. I need to talk to them about appealing the no payment of JSA anyway.
Get there to be told that there was no-one available as they were on lunch (this was 13:00 so fair enough) I asked if I could make an appointment but she said that they didn't have any system like that..... Great again. The woman was very short and abrupt with me as I'd missed my previous appointment and seemed to think that should know that I was supposed to have turned up as soon as I could after the date. She was arrogant and spoke to me like the rest of the lowlifes in there. She said the relevant people would be back at 2pm, and that I should come back then (I argued that there would probably a big queue by that point but she assured me there wouldn't) so I come back at 13:50 managed to get in the queue first and low and behold 3 others turn up before 14:00! After seeing the relevant person, who ended up being the same young lad I saw before, he just signed the form and looked at my interview paperwork and sent me on my way as he was in a hurry. After this I Spoke to the woman at the entrance again regarding my appeal form and she took me to the rack of forms in the corner grabbed the relevant booklet shoved it in my had and walked off. Seemed odd that I had a booklet when I wanted a form and after reading through it a couple of times I notice the form had already been torn out the back. Nice, thanks luv....
Anyway, filled this in and sent it off.
2 weeks later I'd found a job, had to visit JC+ once more after accepting the offer. The woman I spoke to this time was quite helpful, explained that I could have been claiming mileage for all the interviews I'd been to at 25p per mile! Great...... Also that my partner could have been claiming some sort of tax credit. None of which I had been told about previously.
So, fast forward to yesterday. Had a letter telling me that my JSA had been stopped as of the 11th as I hadn't been in to sign on on the 17th (the last day I was there was the 10th and I started the new job on the 16th......)
Today I receive another letter telling me that I might have to pay tax on the JSA I had received. Brilliant, thanks for that.....
So 2 months without work. Not a penny from the Government in assistance. Cost me about £10 in parking, £20 in phone calls and about 10 hours of my life just to be f
ked around. Luckily I've managed to survive the 2 months over Christmas, New Year and my 30th birthday living on overdrafts and Credit..... Today I phoned up to find out how my appeal was going (not heard anything in over a month) only to be told it can take up to 6 months to process. 6 f
king months!!!!! They are useless, a complete and utter shower of st. I pity any poor bd that is made redundant in the coming few months as unemployment is still massively on the rise. This lot couldn't even find themselves a new job and they couldn't give a fk whether you are really down on your luck and have recently lost your job due or just one of the usual scum of society who can't be bothered to get a job.On top of all that, the JC+ jobs database is the worst system I have ever used. You'll have better luck finding a job at a Temp Agency.
I was unlucky enough to have to go the Job Centre plus. Now this is the first time i've ever been there in my life, not knowing what to do, I waited on some pissing sofa for what I thought was a chat with someone who could help you get a job. Or in the case for me a new job. She snarled at me. "Can I help you" Now that pissed me off, so i turned round and said no I'm hear for the scenery, she asked me to come over to her pissing desk and told me, we only talk to you if your on JSA (I'm not I have a job still). fking rude people. Won't be going there again.
king rude people. Won't be going there again. As an 18 year old (half a lifetime ago) I dropped out of uni in my first year and was packed off to the job centre by my mum to find a job.
I came back on £36pw - she wasn't impressed.
I came back on £36pw - she wasn't impressed.
I went back and completed a degree in chemistry - so I'm not a real drop out!
Edited by Puggit on Thursday 12th March 16:29
i signed on for the summer after leaving uni. from memory it couldn't have been easier, although the initial interview was quite amusing as they asked for my qualifications [just obtained MEng Aero. Eng. degree] and matched me upto a vacancy for a HVAC technician.
had to go up every 2 weeks and give them a progress update, given 13weeks to find a job else they'd start forcing me to apply for their crap jobs. think i was on the jam role 2mths in total.
a few people i know signed on just because they could. one lad even claimed housing benefits for a flat in the city centre!
had to go up every 2 weeks and give them a progress update, given 13weeks to find a job else they'd start forcing me to apply for their crap jobs. think i was on the jam role 2mths in total.
a few people i know signed on just because they could. one lad even claimed housing benefits for a flat in the city centre!
So write to the branch manager then.
Would you prefer it if everyone who had to go through the process be "fked around" or are you just going to whinge about it and not be bothered to do anything?
For the record, my local JC was brilliant, particularly the woman I dealt with for my 13 week review (when you stop being allowed to just apply for your "usual" type of job and have to start looking at burger flipping). Thankfully I landed the kind of job I was looking for that very day
Although you have reminded me to phone them - I need to tell them I started work on Monday.
Would you prefer it if everyone who had to go through the process be "f
ked around" or are you just going to whinge about it and not be bothered to do anything?For the record, my local JC was brilliant, particularly the woman I dealt with for my 13 week review (when you stop being allowed to just apply for your "usual" type of job and have to start looking at burger flipping). Thankfully I landed the kind of job I was looking for that very day
Although you have reminded me to phone them - I need to tell them I started work on Monday.
Your story doesn't surprise me. I had a few weeks when I could have signed on many years ago, I walked into the Job Centre, I walked back out again. I'd survive on my savings until I started my new job rather than go in there - I only had to hear the patronising tone of the woman behind the desk to know I wouldn't go well in there..
I've had pretty similar experiences as the OP - I was made redundant in mid-September and despite many interviews and daily searching I have yet to find another position.
I didn't want to sign on initially but in order for my mortgage payment protection insurance to pay out I have to
My local Job Centre is also full of chavs, although the staff are all friendly enough. I had the misfortune of having to sit next to another claimant recently who had a conversation with his mate about "getting lifted by the polis for being the getaway driver" in some un-named criminality.
I didn't want to sign on initially but in order for my mortgage payment protection insurance to pay out I have to
My local Job Centre is also full of chavs, although the staff are all friendly enough. I had the misfortune of having to sit next to another claimant recently who had a conversation with his mate about "getting lifted by the polis for being the getaway driver" in some un-named criminality.
Famous Graham said:
So write to the branch manager then.
Would you prefer it if everyone who had to go through the process be "fked around" or are you just going to whinge about it and not be bothered to do anything?
For the record, my local JC was brilliant, particularly the woman I dealt with for my 13 week review (when you stop being allowed to just apply for your "usual" type of job and have to start looking at burger flipping). Thankfully I landed the kind of job I was looking for that very day
Although you have reminded me to phone them - I need to tell them I started work on Monday.
In all honesty no, I really can't be bothered. I have enough other stuff going on in my life without having to tell some Civil Servant how to do their job. Would you prefer it if everyone who had to go through the process be "f
ked around" or are you just going to whinge about it and not be bothered to do anything?For the record, my local JC was brilliant, particularly the woman I dealt with for my 13 week review (when you stop being allowed to just apply for your "usual" type of job and have to start looking at burger flipping). Thankfully I landed the kind of job I was looking for that very day
Although you have reminded me to phone them - I need to tell them I started work on Monday.
I am pretty sure my letter will not make any difference to their operation or their attitudes.ridds said:
Lots and lots - that would probably be more use if you sent it to the complaints dept. at JC+
Its a bad system - yes.They make lots of mistakes - yes.
I'm not proud, I've been in your situation a few times over the last 20 odd years of working. As soon as my job ended / company folded it was the first place I went. As you rightly said Ridds - you have grafted for many years and made your contribution to the system all those years. You are entitled to the catch net (dole)... its there for people like you and me (well not me anymore, I'm a sole trader - I get bugger all!)
Anyway - what I'm saying is make the system work for you while you need! Yes you have to fill in loads of mindless boxes and to someone that has been in the real working world it can seem like going back to the balls they made you do for you 'record of achievement' at school.
I do have to say, in defense of JC+ and many other areas, there are a few people that work there that really do care and know their stuff - if you can find those people they make a world of difference.
I have a friend that works for the darkside (tax office) and another in the jobcenter... you know how you observed a few grotty people in there? well they deal with those people EVERY day (some of the stories are hilarious) but I know I wouldnt put up with it.
Does make me wonder how these dumbfeck chavs manage to qualify and get Laptops / TV's / New bathrooms ect on benefit when its so hard to get just your regular Job Seeker money out of them. Try using a crayon and more creative spelling on your forms!My claim is quite complex as I was director of my own Ltd Co. I've been out of work since 30th November and took the plunge (thanks to 10 Pence Short) a couple of weeks ago.
My claim is still being assessed so it's possible that I may be declined for JSA, if so - that's life.
Otherwise I've been quite impressed with the whole process. There do seem to be a lot of people doing non-jobs in there, but the people who I have dealt with have treated me with respect and been friendly (one lady said to me "you're not what we usually have to deal with - it's normally like an episode of 'Bread'" which made me laugh.) It's been an awful lot more of a positive experience than I expected - I was expecting utter humiliation.
My claim is still being assessed so it's possible that I may be declined for JSA, if so - that's life.
Otherwise I've been quite impressed with the whole process. There do seem to be a lot of people doing non-jobs in there, but the people who I have dealt with have treated me with respect and been friendly (one lady said to me "you're not what we usually have to deal with - it's normally like an episode of 'Bread'" which made me laugh.) It's been an awful lot more of a positive experience than I expected - I was expecting utter humiliation.
I had a similar experience, an aweful load of bks and paperwork just to be told that my money would be spent housing a family of asylum seekers. Or something. Either way, in the last 8 years since i left school i've only needed the police once, visited a hospital to be treated once, yet i'm not allowed to claim a penny back.
I'm currently working a cleaning job on £6.60-something an hour, which all told, gives me about £70 a fortnight more than JSA would. I am about to start another job too, and if i can manage to hold them both down i should be on somewhere near an acceptable wage.
ks and paperwork just to be told that my money would be spent housing a family of asylum seekers. Or something. Either way, in the last 8 years since i left school i've only needed the police once, visited a hospital to be treated once, yet i'm not allowed to claim a penny back.I'm currently working a cleaning job on £6.60-something an hour, which all told, gives me about £70 a fortnight more than JSA would. I am about to start another job too, and if i can manage to hold them both down i should be on somewhere near an acceptable wage.
My partner works in a london jobcentre. Probably once a week she is in tears or total anger .Why because of the scum that she has to deal with ,the abuse she has to deal with ,the threats she has to deal with and the total pisstake of mainly immigrants that take the piss and chav teenagers with their stty snotty kids who "want MY money NOW!!!" Trust me she's a lovely girl and she shouldn't have to put up with it.
tty snotty kids who "want MY money NOW!!!" Trust me she's a lovely girl and she shouldn't have to put up with it.carlovers said:
My partner works in a london jobcentre. Probably once a week she is in tears or total anger .Why because of the scum that she has to deal with ,the abuse she has to deal with ,the threats she has to deal with and the total pisstake of mainly immigrants that take the piss and chav teenagers with their stty snotty kids who "want MY money NOW!!!" Trust me she's a lovely girl and she shouldn't have to put up with it.
Thats a fair comment, cant be easy from that side either.tty snotty kids who "want MY money NOW!!!" Trust me she's a lovely girl and she shouldn't have to put up with it.I've been unfortunate enough to go on JSA, first occassion just after my A-Levels, second time after graduating and the last occassion when I got back from an internship in New York. Yes the system is a bit of a ballache and designed to cater for the lowest common denominator but its been a vital safety net for me on all 3 occasions - particularly when I returned from the states with not a penny to my name and had to go in search of work in London.
Seen as I pay my fair share of tax now I felt no shame whatsoever making my claim. They do tend to be pretty grim places mind!
Seen as I pay my fair share of tax now I felt no shame whatsoever making my claim. They do tend to be pretty grim places mind!
Pretty similar to my experience.
I wasn't going to bother but I have to sign on to get my Loan insurance payments (£600 pcm).
They are all useless, lazy, ignorant, dead eyeds. I hate going there so much.
They complain about working to me.... yes they complain to jobseekers about there jobs.
They insult my proffesion with their ignorance.
And they have no ability to help me find a job.
If I ever go mental in a "Falling Down" style the Job Centre will be were I go mad with the AK.
I wasn't going to bother but I have to sign on to get my Loan insurance payments (£600 pcm).
They are all useless, lazy, ignorant, dead eyed
s. I hate going there so much. They complain about working to me.... yes they complain to jobseekers about there jobs.
They insult my proffesion with their ignorance.
And they have no ability to help me find a job.
If I ever go mental in a "Falling Down" style the Job Centre will be were I go mad with the AK.
Nobody You Know said:
If I ever go mental in a "Falling Down" style the Job Centre will be were I go mad with the AK.
Well do us all a favor and try to only take out the bottom feeding lowlives that are just 'on the take'......and maybe go easy on the staff behind the desks, they are just people working s
tty jobs.Loony tunes
Edited by Steamer on Thursday 12th March 17:14
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